LA HABRA HEIGHTS – City officials will have an additional estimated $84,000 to spend on new projects or balance the budget with the final approval Thursday of a ballot measure raising the oil barrel tax.

Following the counting of 199 additional ballots Thursday, the measure won, 644-623, or by a 51-49 percent margin.

The measure led on election day by only a 10-vote margin.

Two councilmen-elect present at the all-day counting session Thursday called its passage a good thing.

“I’m pleased it passed,” said Councilman-elect Kyle Miller. “It’ll be a much needed resource for the city.”

Measure B increases the per barrel oil tax from 25 cents to 60 cents, the natural gas tax from 5 cents per 1,000 cubic feet of volume to 10 cents and the storage of gas removal tax from 3 cents per 1,000 cubic feet to 6 cents.

It was opposed by defeated council candidate George Edwards and Stephen Blagden who argued that those who get paid royalties would lose money as the result of its passage.

Blagden said he didn’t think that mineral-rights holders realize the money they might lose.

“Word didn’t get out,” he said.

However, it was never clear how much, if any, mineral-rights owners might lose since officials from Occidental Oil Co., which drills for oil in La Habra Heights, weren’t talking.

Councilman-elect Michael Higgins said Johnny Jordan, president of Matrix Oil Co. which has proposed drilling in La Habra Heights, told him that for a person receiving $1,000, the increase would be about $4.

Higgins said he believes the community voted for it because they figured it was a good thing.

“We can use the money,” he said.

As to how he would spend it, Higgins said he’s uncertain but one possible option would be to use it for road repairs.